THE REHEARSAL OF "FAUST."
THE Italian Opera really opens to-night. We allowed ourselves to be attracted to the rehearsal, last night, of the new ballet of
Faust; and Were taken by surprise at finding it only en deshabille. However, the 'novelty was the greater ; and the actual scene pre- sented such a Contrast to that which we had pictured to ourselves, that it was very aunising. Let the uninitiated into the mysteries of the stage business fancy the Opera boards 'covered with a motley group • of men and woinen, with a sprinkling of boys and girls,
looking like the crowd as.sembledat the doors of a theatre rather than the actors and actresses. In one corner, a decent-looking girl, in a bonnet and cloak, is whirling round on one toe, waving the other leg in mid air, the While. In another, a schoolboy is aping an imp's tricks, while a-group of his fellows are criticising Ids perforthanee. On one side, a few chairs are .occupied by a party of ladies and gentlemen, chatting listlessly. In front, a fantoccini figure, wearing spectacles, is darting to and fro, now and then stamping like a &omen demented, and ftonrishino. shilelah with the ardour of one of the boys of Donnybrook,— alternately screaming and hissing, While the orchestra below re- gard his every movement withawfulattention. Suddenly a voice is hard,- like Punch's sun:Miens: The crowd dispait; and the -stage is cleared. A gentleinanly-looking personage, in a frockeoat, moves gracefully forward, leading a ladyin a velvet pelisse7-they are. ALniar and MONTESSU. We forget the coat and pelisse, and see only: tile .twe graceful forms that move as by One impulse to the music, with inflections, • blending into one continuous but varied series of movements. On a -sudden the lady stops, and with a laugh makes an exclamations which arrests the march of the music, and produces a consul:ation. The dance then proceeds. Pkesently a Short, quiet-looking . man, dressed in black, advances, and gesticulates mysteriously, to the evident alarm of the genteel personage in the frock-coat; then a pale girl, with parted hair, and in a neat stuff dress, joins them in-evident agitation; and the partie quarree, after some gesticulating, join in a graceful dance ; which meets with applause from the crowd on the stage and a few cloaked persons scattered about the pit or ensconced in a box here .and there. The little man in spectacles then stamps his foot, and the voice of Punchinello is heard calling out " Marche!" the person from whom it proceeds thumping the floor with a huge stick. The band obey; and on the left the motley crowd assume :a Military shape, beating time with regular steps, and advance slowly with great earnestness, describing sundry figures round and about the. stage. Short and tall, fat and slender, spruce and -sEaloby, young and old, cloaked and coated, some with sticks some with umbrellas, girls and matrons, in silks. and stuffs, shawls- and .cloaks, with boys and girls, fortis the procession, which is accom- pd,nied by a soldier or two and couple of drums. The fantoc,cini figure nods and stamps with calmness for a while; but anon he .grows furious, rushes up to a delinquent drummer, snatches a drumstick, and beats the tattoo in proper time. This over, a number of shopmen and clerks rush forward, kicking up their -heels and swinging their 'arms; and a flock of milliners' appren- lices cross the stage with similar gestures, a few little urchins hopping in between. Presently therform a quadrille; then break into a waltz, and display a knowledge of the art of dancing ; till .at last the boas and veils ''oe whisking round in company with the -coat-skirts, and hats and bonnets seem giddy with the rapid mo- tion. The spell is dissolved. A fat man, like a parishheadle out 'of -office, comes forward; and calls out to the orchestra, "To- morrow morning at half-past nine, for the Opera, gentlemen." The rehearsal is ended. Cloaks and coats arc donned, hands -shaken, parting smiles and nods exchanged; a scene-shifter comes forward to remove the chairs and table, and the curious visitors in the pit and boxes vacate their seats. The music we heard was striking and effective,- including. some -popular melodies, and a:proper dash of diablerie. The action of the ballet seemed to promise well. '• Amsatts, will make a gallant -and graceful Faust, and be has a capital Dmmon to deal with. MONTESSU executed a new and brilliant pas. The Margaret- PROCHE, we believe—was touching, even in rehearsal. The in- fernal necessaries appeared to be complete, judging from the pro- ceedings only ; but a sword of green flame and a bath of sulphurs for Faust, gave ocular demonstration of their potency.
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